Vignettes
by Gemini1
Summary: Short stories from the world of Between the Devil and the Deep and Letter of Marque. Sano, Kenshin and Kaoru and Misao are all now up.
1. Sano: Better Than Candy

Hello, I'm back! The stories here are based in the world I created for my 'Between the Devil and the Deep' and 'Letter of Marque' stories. Basically, they are short, one-shot stories focusing on different characters and their lives. When I was writing BTDATD and LOM, I had these stories in my head as sort of background information, character-development type stuff. I thought it would be fun to write them down and share them with you. Enjoy!  
  
Vignettes: Stories from the World of Between the Devil and the Deep and Letter of Marque  
A Rurouni Kenshin AU Fic  
by Gemini  
  
**Rated PG-13**  
  
**Disclaimer:** This Rurouni Kenshin franchise is owned and operated by Earl "Nobuhiro" Watsuki,  
Tim "Shonen" Jump and "Sony" Jones. There are also a few silent partners I can't recall.   
  
Sano: Better than Candy  
  
Tetsuro Kamiya bounced his laughing five year old daughter on his shoulders, delighting in the sound of her shrieks and giggles. She had been rather quiet since the death of her mother and not even young Katsu, the scullery boy who was the closest thing she had to a brother, could make her smile. But today, for some reason only she knew, Kaoru was in a good mood. Perhaps it was the excitement of being off the ship and on land, right in the middle of the bustling village market. Maybe all she needed was a break from the ship and its constant reminders of her mother.  
  
"Daddy! Daddy! Can I have one of those?" She tugged on his hair and pointed in the direction of a stall selling delicious looking candies.  
  
"Well now, pet, which one do you want?" He asked indulgently. He lifted her off his shoulders and allowed her to drag him across the road to the stall. He couldn't suppress a smile at the serious way she scrutinized each candy, as though weighing the pros and cons of each one. Her little face was scrunched up and she chewed on a nail as she pondered the selection.  
  
While she was busy weighing her options, a little boy, only a few years older than she was, sidled up to them. His arms were filled with various packages, all of them food related. "Don't get the yellow ones. They're coconut flavored." He whispered to the little girl.  
  
She made a face. "I hate coconut."  
  
Katsu nodded. "I know. That's why I warned you."  
  
"Any trouble finding things, Katsu?" Tetsuro asked the scullery boy.  
  
Katsu shook his head. "Nope. I found everything the cook wanted. I sent most of it back with the others."  
  
"Daddy, I want this one." Kaoru had finally decided. With the seriousness that usually accompanied a life-or-death situation, she pointed to a particularly delicious-looking pink candy. "And can we get one for Katsu, too?" She looked up at her father with big beseeching blue eyes.  
  
Tetsuro laughed. "Of course, of course." He reached into his pocket for a few coins and handed them over to the stall keeper, who then wrapped up the candies.  
  
Kaoru carefully placed the package in her pocket and patted it. "We'll have them after dinner, okay?"  
  
Katsu nodded, a grin lighting up his face.  
  
"All right, you two, let's get back to the ship." Tetsuro went to pick Kaoru up and deposit her back on his shoulders, but she had run ahead with Katsu, having taken a few of the boy's bags. Still pleased with her apparent recovery, he followed the two children at a leisurely pace, not in any particular hurry.  
  
"Hey, Katsu, how did you know the yellow candies were coconut flavored?" Kaoru asked, shifting the weight of the sack in her arms.  
  
"Experience." He answered solemnly.  
  
Her reply was cut off by the eruption of a fight not too far ahead of them. Several boys, about Katsu's age, were yelling at each other.  
  
"Your father was crazy! My mom said so! He was crazy and a liar!" One of the boys sneered. The object of his attack, a dirty, spiky haired boy with a red bandana scowled.  
  
"Shut up! It's not true!" The brown haired boy yelled.  
  
"It is! My dad said it was in all the papers, how he lied and stole!" Another boy called out with a smirk. He stepped forward and pushed the brown haired boy down into the dirt.  
  
"He was a liar and a thief and crazy!" The first boy ran in and kicked the brown haired boy gleefully.  
  
Kaoru's face screwed up in anger. She dropped the bags of supplies and ran into the fray, ignoring Katsu's yelps.  
  
"You bullies!" She howled, throwing herself on the first boy and knocking him over. "You're so mean!"  
  
The boy pushed her off and stood, scowling. "What's this, Sagara, your girlfriend?"  
  
The brown haired boy glared at Kaoru. "Go away! It's none of your business!" He hissed at her.  
  
Kaoru stuck her tongue out at him. "Daddy said that people shouldn't stand by and let others be bullied!" She said, rushing at the second boy and kicking him hard in the shin. The boy howled and grabbed his injured leg.  
  
Meanwhile, Katsu had abandoned his bags and rushed into the fight, grabbing Kaoru before she could kick anyone else. "What are you doing?" He asked incredulously.  
  
"They were hurting him!" She squalled, trying to break loose from his grip.  
  
"Kaoru?" Her father's stern voice stopped her protests. The bullies took one look at the tall, serious looking man and immediately ran away, shouting threats at the brown haired boy as they retreated. "What were you doing?"  
  
Katsu let go of her and turned to the other boy and helped him stand up. "You okay?" He asked, eyeing the bedraggled boy.  
  
"Fine." He said shortly, brushing the worst of the dirt off of his already stained and ruined clothes.  
  
"My name's Katsu. What's yours?"  
  
"Sanosuke Sagara." He answered as he straightened his bandanna.  
  
"But Daddy, they were beating up on him!" Kaoru's whines interrupted their conversation. "And you always said…"  
  
"I could have handled it myself." Sano replied angrily. "You shouldn't have butted in."  
  
Tetsuro and Kaoru both turned to stare at the angry boy. Tetsuro merely raised an eyebrow, but Kaoru, who hadn't yet learned to curb her emotions scowled and ran up to Sano before her father could stop her, stomping his foot viciously.  
  
"I was trying to help you! It's okay to let people help you, you know!" She said fiercely.  
  
Sano bit his lip to keep from crying out in pain, but he couldn't stop his eyes from watering.  
  
"Enough, Kaoru." Her father's stern words stilled her, although her eyes shined with defiance. Suppressing an amused smile at her reaction, Tetsuro knelt by the boy and tipped his face upward so that he could look him in the eyes. "You said your name was Sagara?"  
  
Sano scowled. "Why? You got somethin' to say?"  
  
"Your father was Souzo Sagara?" The older man pressed.  
  
"Yeah and he was the greatest!" Sano said defiantly.  
  
Tetsuro nodded. "He was. I knew him. I didn't know that he had a son, though."  
  
Sano looked up at the older man with surprise. "You knew him?"  
  
"I did. It was terrible what the Navy did to him." Tetsuro said quietly.  
  
Sano nodded, all the fight draining out of him like water. "He wasn't my real dad, but he was better than my old man. He wasn't a worthless drunk. He took care of me."  
  
"He was a good man, an honest man, no matter what the papers say." Tetsuro eyed Sano thoughtfully for a long moment before he seemed to come to a decision. "Tell me, Sanosuke Sagara, what do you think of our Imperial Navy?"  
  
Sano spat into the hard packed dirt, a scowl distorting his features. "They're bastards, all of 'em. They lied about Souzo."  
  
Tetsuro smiled. "Let me ask you this, then, Sanosuke. How would you like to join me?"  
  
Sano frowned. "Who are you anyway?"  
  
"Tetsuro Kamiya, captain of the Kami Kaze."  
  
Brown eyes widened with surprise. "Aren't you…a pirate?"  
  
Tetsuro waved his hand dismissively. "A pirate is a rather…crude way of describing me. I prefer to think of myself as an arbiter of justice."  
  
"Huh?" Sano scratched his head and looked blank.  
  
"What daddy means is that he makes things better, he fixes things. Right daddy?" Kaoru appeared at her father's side and gazed up at him adoringly. "You're better than the Navy!"  
  
Tetsuro merely smiled and ruffled his daughter's hair affectionately.  
  
"So…you're asking me if I want to become a pirate?" Sano asked incredulously.  
  
"In so many words, yes. I admired Souzo Sagara and I considered him a friend. It would be an honor to have his son aboard my ship." Tetsuro stood, towering over Sano, waiting impassively for his response.  
  
Sano's eyes watered, although this time it wasn't because of any physical pain. Unable to say anything, he merely nodded.  
  
"Excellent." Tetsuro rubbed his hands together and looked pleased. "Do you have anyone you need to tell, any extra clothing to get?"  
  
Sano shook his head, biting his lip.  
  
"Well, no matter. Katsu's about your size and I'm sure he can lend you some extra clothes. And if you have no one to notify, then let's go. I'll introduce you to the crew and Katsu can show you the ropes." Tetsuro clapped Sano on the back and smiled broadly down at him before starting off down the dusty road, expecting the three children to follow.  
  
As they struggled to keep up with his long-legged stride, Kaoru sidled up next to Sano and eyed him. "I'm sorry about your foot." She said.  
  
Sano shrugged. "It was nothing. I barely felt it."  
  
Katsu, remembering the tears in the other boy's eyes, snorted.  
  
Sano chose to magnanimously ignore him.  
  
"Anyway, welcome to our ship. I'm Kaoru, the captain's daughter. That boy over there is Katsu. He's the scullery boy and he gets into trouble a lot."  
  
"It's usually your fault, Kaoru." Katsu replied good-naturedly.  
  
"And he lies." Kaoru replied seriously, a suspicious glint in her five-year old eyes.  
  
Sano stared at the both of them, still feeling a bit shell-shocked by the surprising turn of events.  
  
Katsu smacked Kaoru on the back of the head and the two fell to bickering, just like siblings, like family. He and Souzo had been like that, like a family, until the Navy had ruined their lives.  
  
Sano didn't realize how sad his expression had gotten until Kaoru turned a concerned eye on him. "Are you okay?" she asked, reaching up and patting his cheek with a chubby hand.  
  
He swatted her hand away and her eyes narrowed for a moment. Suddenly, she grinned. "I know what will make you feel better!" she announced. Katsu and Sano stared at her as though she had just announced an intention to join a traveling circus.  
  
Ignoring both of them, she reached into her pocket and withdrew the bag of sweets. With a broad smile, she withdrew one delicate, slightly squished pink candy and proffered it to Sano. "Here. Daddy bought me this to make me feel better, because mommy is gone and I'm sad sometimes. I was saving it for after dinner, but I think you need it more than I do."  
  
Slowly, Sano reached for the candy, a feeling he couldn't name welling up in him at her generosity.  
  
Sensing his hesitation, but not knowing the cause, Kaoru leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, "Don't worry, it isn't coconut. Katsu told me so. He lies sometimes, but never about coconut."  
  
Sano took the pink candy and smiled at Kaoru. "Thank you."  
  
Pleased that her idea had worked, Kaoru gifted him with a dazzling smile. "Welcome to the Kami Kaze, Sano." Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and looked up at him thoughtfully. "Hey, you know what?"  
  
"What?" Sano asked, curious.  
  
"Katsu's like my brother, so that means you are, too." Her smile broadened. "Now I have two brothers. That's better than candy any day, don't you think?"  
  
Unable to say anything without giving in to his sudden urge to cry, Sano merely nodded. He decided right then and there that he would fight to protect that little girl and his new family, he wouldn't lose them like he had Souzo. He tucked the pink candy into his pocket and followed Kaoru and Katsu back to the Kami Kaze, to his new home. Better than candy any day.  
  



	2. Kenshin and Kaoru: Happily Ever After

**Vignettes: Stories from the world of 'Between the Devil and the Deep' and 'Letter of Marque'**

_By Gemini_

**Kenshin and Kaoru: Happily Ever After**

There were few things Kaoru found more relaxing than manning the helm of her own ship, especially when she was trying to work her way out of a black mood. At the moment, however the wheel had failed to perform its usual magic and she was still quite annoyed; her aggravation radiated off of her in waves, sending whatever crew members were about a clear message to leave her alone. Not that there were many about this late at night, just a skeleton crew that had probably heard every single word of the fight that she and Kenshin had just had.

She scowled and drummed her fingers on the worn wood of the wheel. Seven months they had been together and, although they mostly got along just fine, there were some things they had been unable to work through with any degree of success, things that had an annoying habit of popping up and causing fights. It had not exactly been happily ever after and that worried her. Her parents had fought a lot, and their unhappiness had been palpable. While she and Kenshin had yet to get to that point, every fight made her worry all the more that things would fall apart, a worry that was given more weight than usual these days, given the circumstances.

With the exception of the wind sighing in the sails and the slap of water against the ship's sides, it was quiet, quiet enough that she heard Kenshin approaching quite clearly. She knew the sound of his steps, which she found both terribly romantic and slightly odd. Who knew footsteps could have personality? His did: a strong, sure gait, purposeful and commanding.

He approached her carefully, noting the tense set of her shoulders and the white-knuckled grip she had on the wheel. She was still angry and he did not want to fight with her again. So, instead of speaking, he simply stood next to her and followed her gaze out past the bow of the ship and towards the stars. It took time, but eventually, she relaxed enough for Kenshin to feel comfortable speaking. "You left before I could apologize." He murmured softly, no reprimand in his voice, just a hint of regret.

"I left before I hit you." She replied.

He smiled. "I might have deserved it."

"You did." She tensed again, not as much as before, but he sensed it and rushed forward with his apology before he lost any ground.

"Kaoru, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten so upset, but…"

She cut him off before he could finish. "Don't give me any excuses, Kenshin. You _know_ what I do, what I am. Even with that little piece of paper in my desk giving me some legitimacy, I'm still a pirate."

"A privateer." He corrected with a small smile.

She shrugged. "Amounts to the same thing."

He tried again, hoping to convey how he felt without upsetting her more. "I worry, Kaoru, I'll always worry, especially now, with…"

The tension in her gave way to weariness, her shoulders slumped. "I'd never put myself or the baby in danger, Kenshin. Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you. It's everyone else I worry about." He replied carefully. When she didn't respond, he decided to try and coax her out of her mood so they could talk rationally. He moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. Sometimes he could do more with simple gestures than he could with words.

She sighed and leaned into him. "Pretty soon you won't be able to get your arms around me, you know. I'll look like a beached whale."

He chuckled, relieved that she didn't seem to be as angry. "A very pretty beached whale."

"Oh now you're just trying to get back into my good graces." Her bad mood evaporated, powerless in the face of his obvious affection.

"Is it working?" He nuzzled her cheek and gave her a little squeeze.

"Maybe." She replied archly.

They were silent for a long while before he spoke again. "I can't help worrying, Kaoru. And if you won't let me protect you, then how can I be sure you're safe?"

Kaoru sighed again, this time she sounded slightly exasperated. "You'll just have to trust me, Kenshin. I can take care of myself. I won't let anything happen to this baby while I'm pregnant. And after it's born, you can be as protective as you want. You can be as overbearing, suffocating and authoritarian as you want. In fact, I expect it."

He grinned. "Be careful what you wish for, Captain Kamiya."

She laughed. "I've already learned my lesson about that, sir. I wished for Prince Charming and ended up with you."

"I'm a perfectly good substitute, I assure you." He replied with false hurt.

She just laughed again and turned enough in his arms to give him a kiss. Perhaps there was something to the idea of happily ever after, after all.

**A/N:** Hello all! This just popped into my head and voila! Here it is. You probably have noticed that the 'Vignettes' series jumps around in time. I just wanted to focus on these little tidbits that give the characters life. I think for the next one, I'll try something about the night Kaoru became captain. It won't be pretty or fluffy like these two have been, but it's definitely one of those character-defining moments. We'll see.


	3. Misao: Slumming

**Vignettes:**

_Stories from the world of Between the Devil and the Deep and Letter of Marque_

A Rurouni Kenshin AU fanfic by Gemini.

**Rated PG-13 for Misao's unbridled lust. ;P**

**Disclaimer:** This Rurouni Kenshin franchise is owned and operated by Earl "Nobuhiro" Watsuki,  
Tim "Shonen" Jump and "Sony" Jones. There are also a few silent partners I can't recall.

* * *

**Misao: Slumming**

**

* * *

**  
Misao tugged uncomfortably at her ill-fitting dress. It had been the only thing in the poor box at church that was still wearable, but it was loose in the wrong places and tight in others. Misao could not even imagine the shape of the woman who had worn it. The bodice sagged depressingly at the bust and refused to stay up, sliding down her arms at the most inopportune moments. She was glad for the old, musty cloak she had unearthed in the attic, because not only did it keep her from being indecent, it also effectively hid her identity with its oversized hood. She pulled it tighter around herself and peered out into the world she had infiltrated.

The wharves and the seedy area that surrounded them had long held a fascination for her, ever since she was a child and had peeked out at the place from behind the curtains of her family's carriage as it rumbled quickly through on the way to her father's offices in a slightly better part of town. It was just as she had remembered it: filthy, smelly and filled with the absolute dregs of humanity. The characters of the sensational novels she regularly read wandered the streets in flesh and blood. She actually saw a pirate with an eye patch and nearly swooned. How she loved this place!

The people here were cutthroats and thieves, but at least they were honest about it, unlike the people in her social circle, who hid their viciousness behind polite conversation and fake smiles.  
Many of them were at her home at that moment, victims of one of her mother's society teas. Her parents were so wrapped up in their own importance, they hadn't noticed or cared that she was missing.

She had counted on that. She engineered her escape with great guile, slipping her governess enough of a particular herb to make the evil-tempered woman terribly ill for the evening, and issuing a command to all the household servants not to disturb their ladyship. She had locked her door and escaped out the window, clambering down the sturdy rose trellises that lined the heavy brick walls with the skill and grace she had learned from her martial arts master, the slightly perverted elderly man who was supposed to be teaching her the ancient art of calligraphy and watercolors, but who had decided it was more fun to teach her how to kick and punch. Misao had manipulated one of her fellow students, a young man named Kuro who had a desperate crush on her, to take her in a wagon to the docks and wait for her. He was hidden several blocks away in an old abandoned barn, nervously awaiting her return and good graces.

But for now, she wandered around the streets, taking in the sights, committing it all to memory so she could entertain herself later with the details when her arrogant tutor was droning on about a lady's place or when her grim-faced governess decided she needed yet another lecture on the proper way for a lady to act.

She was so caught up in observing a haggard and well-worn prostitute solicit business that she narrowly avoided running into two drunken sailors. She dodged them and ended up in front of a dirty set of windows, fronting what looked like a pub. She grinned. A pub! A place filled with the worst sort, according to her novels. She absolutely had to see it. The door moaned a warning as she pushed it open and she almost gagged at the smell of unwashed bodies, rotting food and old beer. No one paid her much attention as she waded through the drunken piles of people up to the rickety wooden bar. She slapped her hand on the counter, getting the barkeeper's attention, just countless story characters had done. "A beer, please." She said, lowering the timbre of her voice so that she didn't sound quite so much like a rich teenage girl out having a lark.

The barkeeper frowned down at her. "Money first. Two bits."

She nodded and fumbled in her small purse for the coins. As she did, she realized with dawning horror that she had no idea how much two bits actually was. Nervously, she pulled out a shiny silver coin and laid it on the bar. She knew it was probably more than two bits, but she didn't want to ask the barkeeper any questions. "Keep, uh, the change." She said, hating the way her voice wobbled.

The barkeeper raised an eyebrow at her supposed extravagance and quickly slipped the coin into his apron. He disappeared for a moment but returned with a streaky mug filled with what she assumed was beer, which he slapped down in front of her, not seeming to care much when a good portion of the liquid slopped down the sides and onto the bar.

Gingerly, Misao raised the mug to her lips and took a swig. She managed not to spit it up or gag, but she was certain that it was the worst tasting stuff she had ever had, even worse than her cook's herbal remedies or the cod liver oil her governess sometimes forced on her.

"When in Rome, Misao, when in Rome." She muttered to herself as she took another mouthful. Not drinking it might attract people's attention.

"Two beers, and a shot of whisky, barkeeper, and make the whisky a little less watery this time." A man's deep and rather attractive voice caught her attention as she tried to nurse her beer. She turned, looked at the speaker and nearly spit out her drink again. The man standing next to her had to be the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. He looked like the dashing hero in one of her romance novels, the ones she wasn't supposed to read and had to hide in increasingly creative places in her bedroom where her maid or her governess couldn't find them.

This man was tall with inky black hair that was just long enough to brush his broad shoulders. He was wearing a simple linen shirt that was open at the collar, exposing an enticing bit of his throat (Misao had a thing for Adam's apples) and the sleeves were rolled up enough for her to see strong forearms. She looked down at his hands and felt a shiver run down her spine. He had large, capable hands, his long, elegant fingers were ink-stained, she noticed. Her gaze drifted downward. He had a gun and a sword hanging at his deliciously narrow waist and she had no doubt he knew how to use them. She couldn't figure out a way to get a look at his behind without being obvious, but she was certain that it was as nice as the rest of him.

As though he could feel her eyes appraising him, the man turned his head and glanced over at her, revealing rather attractive blue-gray eyes. She receded further into the shadows of her hood, hoping he couldn't see her blush. Before he could study her any further, the barkeeper returned and set down the requested drinks, with noticeably more restraint than he had used with Misao's.

"Sorry about the whisky, sir. It won't happen again." The barkeeper was nervous, which made Misao wonder if this hunk was someone important.

The man merely nodded and placed some coins on the bar.

"Oi, Aoshi! What the hell is taking you so long? I'm still sober!" A loud and rude voice called through the bar, catching the man's attention. He rolled his eyes and gathered up the drinks, not dignifying the caller with a response. He disappeared into the crush of humanity around them before she could get a good look at his behind to confirm her suspicions.

His name was Aoshi. A goofy smile played on her lips as she whispered the name. A gorgeous name for a gorgeous man. And a dangerous one if he was hanging out in this dive, and armed, she thought, feeling a tingle of excitement. He was probably a highwayman or maybe even a pirate, an idea that filled her with glee. A pirate like in her last romance novel! And here she was, a gentleman's daughter, off limits to him. They were like two ships crossing in the night, she decided, star-crossed lovers whose all encompassing love would burn bright, but brief. Oh, she thought happily, how terribly romantic!

She would have stayed at that bar, daydreaming until she started gathering dust if a rough hand hadn't grabbed her arm and jerked her out of her revelry. She dropped her lukewarm mug of beer, making a dismayed sound when it hit the ground and spilled its smelly contents all over the hem of her purloined dress and her boots.

"Ye were mighty generous with the barkeep, chum. Why don't ye be generous with me?" A voice nowhere near as pleasing as Aoshi's with breath as foul as manure growled at her. She looked up into a face that resembled a rotted apple, a fat rotted apple, all wrinkled flesh and a sunken mouth.

"Let me go." She said angrily, jerking her arm from his grip.

Another man appeared, this one resembling a weasel, she decided. He was thin and greasy with beady little black eyes. "Ye shouldn't be flashin' coin around here if ye ain't gonna share it, mate." He said in an oddly high-pitched voice.

The fat-rotted apple man grabbed her again and gave her a good shake. "Give up yer coin or I'll cut ye!" he snarled, his free hand fumbling in his pockets for what she hoped was a knife.

She swallowed her fear and gave the man a good hard kick in the shins, which set him howling in pain. He let go of her arm to grab his leg, but his friend the Weasel reached over and smacked her hard in the head.

She was too busy counting the stars in her vision to notice at first that her hood had slipped down, revealing her face.

"Oi, that's no mate, that there's a lass! And not a bad lookin' one, neither." The Weasel said with a sudden wicked gleam in his eyes.

"Well, the bitch is going to pay for kicking me, she is! And when she's done apologizin' to me on her back, she can start apologizin' to you on her knees for bein' so rude." Fat-rotted apple man said viciously, a grin on his face that made Misao nauseous.

"I think you two are the ones being rude." All three of them swung around to look at who had addressed them.

Misao gaped at the sight of a fellow woman, a heavily armed but pretty woman perhaps only a few years older than herself. "I think you should apologize to the lady for being rude and then I think you should leave."

The weasel snorted. "Skirts shouldn't think. They should just lay back and take what's comin' to them."

The woman raised an eyebrow at this, but otherwise didn't seem ruffled.

Misao, on the other hand, was livid. "How dare you! A woman shouldn't have to be subservient to a man just because he says so, you cretin!"

"Wha you just say? Sub what?" Fat rotted-apple man scratched his head and frowned. "Ye makin' fun of us?"

"I am. You two uncouth morons don't even have the right to address me, let alone touch me! And your views on women are positively barbaric! I'm surprised you can walk upright without dragging your knuckles on the ground, you filthy pigs!" Misao put her hands on her hips and scowled at them, forgetting in her anger where she was and with whom she was talking to.

Now even the other woman looked surprised.

"I dunno what ye just said, but I don' like it!" Fat-rotted apple man pulled a hand back to slap Misao, only to be surprised to find it in her grip. She had caught his hand.

"I said you don't have the right to touch me, asshole!" She snarled, letting go of his hand long enough to punch him right in the face.

It was about then that all hell broke loose. Any excuse for a fight was honored at this particular bar and with Misao's punch, everyone jumped into the fray.

The other woman punched and kicked her way to Misao's side, a grin on her face. "That's quite a right hook you have." She said as she ducked to avoid a rickety chair that sailed over her head and crashed into the wall behind them, splintering into a million pieces.

"I've been taking martial arts classes for a year and a half now." Misao proudly informed her as she intercepted a broken beer bottle and deftly twisted it out of the hand of the man who wielded it before knocking him back into the pile of fighting bodies.

"My name's Kaoru. What's yours?"

"Misao. Are you a pirate?"

"Yep. Captain of my own ship, the Kami Kaze." Kaoru gave the weasel man a very hard kick in the groin, sending him to his knees, his mouth open in shock, but no sound coming out.

"A pirate captain that's a woman? That is so amazing!" Impressed, Misao turned to study Kaoru in more detail, but had to stop in order to defend herself against yet another idiot male.

"Oi! Kaoru! Why is it that whenever we have shore leave, you start a fight! Can't I ever drink a beer in peace?" The man who had called out to Aoshi earlier, a tall, muscular young man with unruly brown hair threw two people out of his way, sending them crashing into a table that promptly collapsed.

"It's not my fault this time Sano! I swear!" Kaoru grinned up at him. "It was hers." She pointed at Misao, who had lost her cloak somewhere in the melee and was now trying to fight and keep her dress on at the same time.

"Another one of your causes, Captain?" Aoshi had somehow materialized at Sano's side and he didn't look very pleased.

Misao turned to see Aoshi and realized that he had just addressed Kaoru as 'captain', which meant that he was a pirate and that he served under her new-found friend.

She was so absorbed in her realization that she left herself open to attack. Fat-rotted apple man had recovered somewhat and he had Misao in his sights. Before she could react, he punched her hard in the stomach, sending the breath whooshing right out of her. She stumbled back and almost lost her balance, but a strong hand at her elbow kept her upright.

She wheezed painfully and looked up at her savior only to discover that it was her dream pirate man, Aoshi. At that moment, two things happened: Fat-rotted apple man geared up for a second attack and Misao forgot to hold her dress up. She didn't understand why Aoshi was looking at her so strangely and blushing slightly until she looked down and realized that she was flashing him. She turned bright red in horror and swung around, only to find herself in the path of the fat-rotted apple man, who leered at her.

She lost her temper. She had been mad before, but now she was in pain, humiliated and mad, a lethal combination. As the fat man barreled towards her, Aoshi moved to push her out of the way, but she ignored him, gathered up her dress, her dignity and her strength and gave the fat man a kick so powerful that he went flying backwards and crashed through the dirty windows onto the street outside.

"Take that you perverted bastard!" She yelled after him, shaking her fist at what was left of the window.

"Sano, Aoshi, let's get out of here!" Kaoru yelled. She looked back at Aoshi and nodded her head towards Misao, who was still shrieking insults at the window. With a martyred sigh, Aoshi picked up Misao, threw her over his shoulder and followed his captain and ship mate out the door.

She was so surprised that she didn't even have the mind to yell at him for hauling her over his shoulder like a sack of rice. When she finally recovered from her shock, she discovered that she didn't exactly mind being thrown over the shoulder of a dead sexy pirate, especially when her position allowed her to finally solve the mystery as to whether or not he had a nice bottom. He did. Mystery solved.

They ran for several minutes before ducking into a conveniently dark and foreboding alleyway. Misao was quite disappointed to be set perfunctorily on her feet again; she had rather enjoyed the ride. And sadly, Aoshi's hands didn't linger, he set her down and immediately dropped them from her waist. Misao almost scowled. Her pirate seemed to be a gentleman. And gentlemen pirates were not in the habit of ravishing innocent maidens.

"Sano, Aoshi, meet Misao." Kaoru gestured towards the disheveled debutante who waved merrily, so happy about meeting honest-to-God pirates that she momentarily forgot her pique at not being ravished by Aoshi.

Sano grunted a greeting and Aoshi merely tilted his head in acknowledgement.

"Why the hell did you start that fight, brat?" Sano asked crankily. "I only got to drink two beers before all hell broke loose."

Misao put her hands on her hips and scowled at him. "First of all, I am not a brat. Secondly, it wasn't my fault. Those guys were hoping to molest me."

"Molest you?" Sano scratched his head and stared at her.

Kaoru leaned against the alley wall and grinned. "You're not from around here, are you Misao?"

"Wh…what makes you think that? Of course I'm from around here…I…" Misao stuttered, searching her brain for some sort of reasonable story.

Kaoru snorted. "No you're not. Guessing from your vocabulary and your footwear, I'd say you were a gentleman's daughter."

Misao looked down at her shoes and cursed. She was wearing her hand-tooled fine leather boots because they were comfortable and she figured the long skirt would hide them. There hadn't been any shoes in the poor box at church.

"So, is Misao really your name?" Sano asked, still looking a bit puzzled.

"Of course." Misao sniffed, her pride wounded. She had tried so hard to play the street urchin, but she hadn't fooled anyone.

"Misao what?" Aoshi asked, breaking his silence.

She hadn't intended on giving the pirates her family name, but it was Aoshi who had asked. "Makimachi." She replied almost absently, her eyes on the tall dark haired man.

Kaoru whistled. "Makimachi, eh? Of Makimachi Trading Company?"

"You're not going to ransom me, are you? My father would kill me if he found out I was down here!" Misao paled noticeably, her green eyes going wide.

Kaoru laughed again. "Don't worry, Misao. I won't ransom you and I won't tell anyone you've been slumming. I'm not that kind of pirate."

Misao breathed a sigh of relief and slumped against a nearby wall. "Thank goodness. I can barely escape now as it is. If he thought I was up to anything, I would become a prisoner." She paused and eyed Kaoru thoughtfully. "What kind of pirate are you then? I didn't know there were different kinds."

"There aren't, really. I just…" Kaoru tapped a finger on her chin as she tried to come up with a way to explain.

"Have a conscience." Aoshi finished for her quietly.

Kaoru brightened. "Exactly! Me and my crew…we're pirates with a conscience! We don't ransom people and we don't kidnap. Or rape or pillage."

Misao frowned. "Then how can you be pirates?"

"We know all the pirate shanties." Aoshi said reasonably.

Misao almost nodded in understanding, but a gasp from the other two pirates stopped her.

Kaoru and Sano stared at Aoshi, their mouths open in shock.

"Aoshi…did you…did you just make a JOKE?" Kaoru put a hand over her heart and swooned into a startled but quickly reacting Sano, who caught her.

Aoshi scowled. "I can make a joke." He said irritably.

"I guess you could, man, but you never have." Sano said, pushing Kaoru roughly to her feet.

"How many whiskies did you drink?" Kaoru moved to check his forehead for a temperature.

Aoshi swatted her hand away and scowled.

Misao watched the interplay with a grin. "You guys are strange, but I'm glad I met you."

Sano snorted. "You're the strange one, brat. Shouldn't you be at home, embroidering something?"

"Embroidery is boring." Misao said dismissively. "Sitting around doing nothing all and acting like a stupid lady is boring, too. I want to have some fun in my life before I get sold off to the richest bachelor my parents can find and get stuck having babies and being polite all the damn time."

Kaoru smiled sympathetically. "Even with money, it's not easy, is it?"

"No, it's not. I'm not a person, I'm a possession to be traded or sold." Misao felt the familiar anger and frustration welling up inside her. "All my parents care about is money and they see me as a way to get more."

The group was silent, no one sure how exactly to respond to that.

"Miss Misao! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! Do you know what time it is? What if you get caught?" Kuro ran up to the group, breathing hard, his face red and sweaty. "I have to get you back home!" He paused at the mouth of the alley, taking in Misao's company with a startled expression, but since she didn't seem to be in danger or upset, he wisely decided not to provoke anything.

Misao looked at Kuro's earnest face and sighed. "I know." She turned to her newfound friends. "Thanks for helping me today. I didn't really need it, but I appreciate it."

Sano snorted again. Misao was beginning to wonder if he was part horse.

As she turned to leave, Kaoru caught her arm. "Hey, Misao, we usually dock once every couple of months around here for supplies and such. Next time we're in the area, I'll send you a note. Maybe you can escape for a while to visit us."

Misao couldn't fight the grin that stretched across her face. "Maybe I can. Do you know where to find me?"

"I have my ways." Kaoru said mysteriously and dropped the young woman's arm with a wink.

Misao laughed and slapped Kuro on the back. "Come on, Kuro, let's go." She waved at her friends one last time before disappearing down the street with her escort.

"Another one of your causes, captain?" Aoshi asked again, slight irritation obvious in his tone.

"Oh shut up, Aoshi! She was interesting." Kaoru tossed her navigator a speculative look. "And besides, I think she liked you."

Dull red crept up Aoshi's neck and colored his face. "Don't be stupid." He replied stiffly.

Sano and Kaoru elbowed each other, each wearing a matching wicked expression. "Aoooshi has a girlfriend!" they crowed.

"You two are like children. I don't know how either of you commands any respect." Aoshi muttered, turning his back on them and marching down the street towards the docks. His shoulders were set with tension and his hands were balled into fists at his side.

"Lord, he's fun to tease, eh, Sano?" Kaoru asked with a giggle.

"Hey, Captain," Sano asked in a surprisingly serious voice, making Kaoru turn to him with her eyebrows raised. "Do you think we'll really ever see that Misao brat again?"

"I would count on it, Sano." Kaoru said with a laugh. "Now come on, I know a short cut and if we hurry, we can beat Aoshi to the ship and tell everyone about his new girlfriend." She grabbed Sano's arm and dragged him out of the alley and down towards her beloved ship, mischief on her mind.

* * *

A/N: Misao's story was just too hard to resist. I hope she doesn't come off as too much of an airhead in this story. It's not that she's stupid, she's just sheltered. And she reads too much smut. 

Her calligraphy/martial arts tutor? Jiya. Tee hee.

I'm still working on the story of the mutiny and Kaoru. I lost a huge chunk of it somewhere and got mad, so I started working on Megumi's story, which takes place directly after the mutiny. I'll get it up here, eventually. Oh well. Enjoy!


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